1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which a flat bed type image scanner is disposed above a printer.
2. Description of Related Art
An image forming apparatus has long been well known, in which a flat bed type image scanner is disposed above a laser printer of electrophotography.
As shown in FIG. 14, in the image forming apparatus, a scanner unit 91 is disposed directly under an image scanner 90, and a cartridge 92 is installed under the scanner unit 91. The scanner unit 91 emits a laser beam to a photosensitive drum 93 mounted in the cartridge 92. A conveying mechanism 94 that conveys a recording medium (for example, a sheet of paper) is installed under the cartridge 92.
However, if a cartridge 92 needs replacing, then a cover 95 provided at a side of the image forming apparatus is opened, and the cartridge 92 is pulled out through a narrow space provided between the scanner unit 91 and the conveying mechanism 94. Replacement of the cartridge 91 is difficult at the narrow space, thereby deteriorating the workability.
The space between the scanner unit 91 and the conveying mechanism 94 can be widened enough by raising the position of the scanner 91. However, in this case, the scanner unit 91 is located at a further high position, and the image forming apparatus becomes tall by the amount the scanner unit 91 is elevated, thereby the image forming apparatus increases in size.
If a portion where the scanner unit 91 is disposed is structured so as to move up and down, the scanner unit 91 can be moved upward so as to widen the space provided between the scanner unit 91 and the conveying mechanism 94 only for replacement of the cartridge 92. However, with the movable structure, some mechanical play persists in a movable area. A positioning accuracy of the scanner unit 91 decreases due to the play in the movable area, a formation accuracy of an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 93 also decreases, and a quality of the image to be produced finally tends to be degraded.
The invention provides an image forming apparatus in which a flat bed type image scanner is disposed on a printer so as to make it easy to replace a cartridge without increasing the size of the apparatus.
According to one aspect of the invention, an image forming apparatus includes a flat bed type image reading device, an upper body that includes the image reading device, an image forming device, a lower body that accommodates the image forming device and is disposed under the upper body, and a hinge member that connects the upper body and the lower body. The flat bed type image reading device reads an image from an original document, as image data. To form the image on a recording medium, the image forming device includes a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium; a light emitting unit that emits a light according to the image data read by the image reading device or data externally input; a photosensitive member where an electrostatic latent image is formed by the light of the light emitting unit; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member as a visible image; a transfer unit that transfers the visible image developed by the developing unit onto the recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes the visible image transferred onto the recording medium by the transfer unit; and a detachable cartridge that accommodates at least the photosensitive member. The upper body is pivoted about the hinge member between an open position where the upper body is opened with respect to the lower body and a close position where the upper body is closed with respect to the lower body. The light emitting unit is fixed to the lower body. The cartridge is disposed above the light emitting unit. The transfer unit is disposed above the photosensitive member accommodated in the cartridge. The cartridge is detachable from the lower body via a space provided between the upper body and the lower body by pivoting the upper body toward the open position.